Northern VA and Loudoun County 2020 Single Family Home Market Stats

Living in Ashburn Village

Ashburn Village is one of the main attractions for home buyers moving to Ashburn, VA…probably the biggest reason is the Sports Pavilion. The Pavilion is over 32000 square feet and holds Aerobics Classes, Spinning classes, a weight room, numerous cardio machines, an indoor pool with its own set of classes, an Advanced Training Center, sauna, steam room, a full size gymnasium with basketball courts, indoor tennis courts, child care and a small marina for non motorized boats….all this comes with your Association Dues.

In addition to Sports Pavilion, there are 3 recreation centers with pools, tennis courts, tot lots, jogging and biking trails and soccer and softball fields. 500 acres of open space offers the 5071 residents of Ashburn Village a more open feel, yet they are only a half hour to Washington DC and minutes from Dulles Airport which make this a great commuting location.

Ashburn Village has many grocery stores including a Harris Teeter and a large shopping complex with Home Goods and numerous restaraunts. Clyde’s is close by as well as many restaraunts in Lansdowne.

One Loudoun is also a stone’s throw away from Ashburn Village and offers some great places to eat, the Alamo Movie theatre, Trader Joes and so much more.

Overall, this is a great place to live….Call now for a list of homes available in Ashburn, Village – Sonja Adams 703-963-7407.

How To Prepare for a Home Inspection

Home Inspections, Selling

Preparing for a home inspection is something a home seller should consider early on in the home selling process.

A home inspection is quite common in most real estate transactions. It is typically requested by the buyer in a separate addendum as part of their offer to purchase your home. The buyer typically pays for the inspection which is performed by a professional licensed home inspector.

When a seller receives an offer on their home, they will often see a home inspection contingency as part of the contract. This contingency is an addendum with specific language outlining the terms of the home inspection. It will have an inspection period, timeframes for completion of the inspection, negotiation terms and a “way out” of the contract for the buyer if the home inspection shows major issues or the buyer and seller can’t agree on items that may need to be fixed. It will have very specific language outlining the terms of the inspection and what happens in various scenarios. For specific details, you should ask your agent to explain what it means to you with regards to your home and contract. I’m not an expert on contracts in all states and can only speak about Virginia or West Virginia contracts.

In a Real Estate transaction, the home inspection is one of the first and biggest hurdles a home seller will face during the process of selling their home. The inspection is typically done within the first couple of weeks after the contract has been accepted by both the buyer and seller. It makes sense that you will want your home to be in the best possible condition before the home inspection occurs.

In my experience, the home inspection is one of the most critical points in moving a sale forward early in the home sale process.

So… how do you prepare for a home inspection to ensure that all goes smoothly? An overlooked but possibly obvious step is to make sure your home is in tip top shape and showing condition before the home inspection takes place.

While an inspector is not looking at the cleanliness of your home, it does make sense to have your home “show ready” for an inspection as it will help to demonstrate that your home has been well cared for. It will also help to give the impression that you have kept up with maintenance of the home.

Every seller should keep in mind that even though the initial offer/contract held negotiation points, that the home inspection may also have negotiation points that are a consideration in the sale. Sometimes, the inspection negotiations can be a deal breaker.

While the home inspection is taking place the inspector will look for items that may need to be fixed, safety issues, structural issues, material defects, etc. These items will be reviewed by the buyer who may ask for defects to be fixed prior to closing or ask for a credit to fix them after closing. If the defects found are items that the buyer feels are too much for them to move forward, there is a possibility that they may not move forward with their offer.

So, how do you prepare for the inspection? One suggestion would be to make it easy for the inspector to get to things that need to be looked at. Make sure the path to the furnace or hot water heater is accessible. Make sure that the basement and attic or crawl space can be easily reached.

I have been at inspections before where it is very difficult to get to the utilities or the electrical panel. No one wants to move or potentially damage your things because they need to get to something that has stuff in front of it. But those things may be critical to the inspection so please make sure access is easy for the inspector to reach.

A pre-sale inspection is sometimes helpful to spot items that may come up. It is an added expense that many sellers do not want to incur though, but it could save you some heartache down the road. Many buyers get spooked if there are a lot of items to fix or major items that need work. Resolving them before the inspection and even before the house is on the market would be recommended to prevent any potential deal breakers.

If you don’t feel the pre-inspection is necessary, try to be aware of common issues that may be a concern during the inspection.

What Will a Home Inspector Check?

You should expect the home inspector to go over your home with a fine tooth comb. Inspectors will typically arrive to the home inspection early and start outside before making their way inside the house. They will check everything thoroughly.

Outside

The home inspector will look for these things on the outside of your home:

They will look for cracks or visual damage in the foundation, driveway, or walkways
They will check for proper grading of the soil away from the house to ensure water penetration is not easily accessible to the house
Window sills, wood trim around doors or around the house will be checked for wood rot or damage. Actually any wood will be checked for its health
Windows will be checked for exterior damage
Any decks or porches will be inspected for safety, structural damage, wood rot, etc.
Exterior wiring will be looked at for safety and outlets will be checked to see they are working
Looking at the roof and chimney to see if there are signs of damage or problems
Depending on your property, there are probably other things they will look at on the exterior of the home, but this gives you an idea

Inside

As they move inside the home, here are few things they will look at:

Signs of water penetration into the home
Will check for structural defects
All systems such as the heater, HVAC, hot water heater, any water treatment systems will be checked
All appliances including the refrigerator, dishwasher, disposal, stove, oven, washer and dryer, etc.. will be checked that they are working
Outlets are tested
Flooring defects will be looked for
They will enter and inspect the attic for moisture, proper insulation and signs of water penetration or structural defects
Windows will be checked to see if they are functioning, if the seals are good or if there are any defects
Bathrooms will be checked for water issues, damage, etc.
Electrical panel and outlets are reviewed for safey concerns.

Common Defects Found During Home Inspections

Knowing some of the most common defects found during a home inspection is one of the best ways to prepare for the home inspection.

Sometimes living in a home for many years causes us to not notice defects that may pop up during the inspection. We may get used to the way something is working and not realize its actually an issue a potential buyer may want resolved so it may not even cross our minds that it would even come up.

With this knowledge, you will have the opportunity to make corrections or resolve issues before your home goes on the market. These tips can go a long way to help ensure that the inspection and entire real estate transaction goes smoothly.

Ceiling/Wall Stains and/or Cracks – Buyers are very concerned about possible water intrusion into a home. Nobody wants to deal with that or the potential of mold from a water issue.

Over the years, I have seen many homes with stains on the ceiling or at the bottom of the walls from water issues they previously had. It always lends a question in the buyer’s mind as to what happened and wanting to know if it is still occuring.

The stain may be from something simple like an overflowing tub or a toilet leak, however, the buyer may not know that.

If you have an old issue that was fixed, it would be beneficial to you to repaint the walls. The point is not to cover up an existing issue, but if its an old documentable issue that was fixed, it makes sense to paint the walls.

Electrical Violations – As a buyer’s agent, I feel electrical issues should almost always be addressed as their could be a potential safety issue. I’ve seen it many times where a homeowner or an unlicensed contractor has made improvements which are not safe or not up to code. If you have done your own wiring in the past, it may benefit you during the pre-inspection phase to make sure everything is up to snuff and safe.

Windows

Moisture inside the windows or fogging of the windows often indicates a broken seal or some other bigger issue. This could be a concern because of potential water intrusion and it can be unsightly. If you notice any of your windows with issues, it would be a good idea to have a window contractor come out and assess/fix or replace the windows.

Rotted Exterior Wood – sometime so obvious is often an item a buyer will want repaired. Rotten wood is often found on window sills or around door ways. Fixing this will not only help the appearance, but also help prevent water intrusion.

Plumbing Defects – Most plumbing defects are minor. Things like a leaky faucet, slow drains, loose toilets, etc are typically easy fixes. Check under your sinks and to see how your drains are functioning.

Chimney Defects – the most common chimney defects include improper flashing, cracks or re-pointing. These are often found at the top of the chimney or near the roof line.

Radon Remediation – Radon is a gas found under the ground which can enter the home through the foundation. It can cause health issues for the occupants of the home. A radon inspection is done by leaving a box in the home for 48 hours which captures the radon levels of the home. The EPA guidelines that radon levels above 4.0 pCi/L should be remediated.

A radon remediation system is not very expensive in the grand scheme of things – typically in our area it is roughly $1000-1500 if there are no issues with installation. Every buyer is going to ask for this to be remediated so its something I tell my sellers to expect if radon levels are high.

If you are able to financially fix the common defects before you put your home on the market, that will go a long way to ensure you will have a good inspection report. If money is tight and you know of issues, you may want to talk to you Real Estate agent about disclosing any known defects. These things will hopefully give you some peace of mind during the inspection process.

Prepare for the Home Inspector to Arrive

On home inspection day, you should be prepared for the home to be inspected earlier than you anticipate. Often the inspectors will show up a half hour early to start the inspection outside.

You should be prepared to leave the house during the inspection and either safely secure your pets or remove them. Dogs especially should be confined in a crate if they have to stay home or preferably should not be in the house.

Quick Tips Prior to the Home Inspection

Make sure the power and water is on in the house
Make sure all light bulbs work or change them if they are not before the inspection
Try not to have closets over stuffed
Make sure the basement walls aren’t blocked so the inspector can check for cracks or water
Make sure the attic is easily accessible.
Change your furnace filters
Ensure your smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors are working
If you have a water treatment system, make sure there is salt in it if needed
Ensure there are no leaky toilets or faucets

Do not try to conceal defects as the inspector will find them anyway. Trying to cover up problems is a red flag. You definitely don’t want the question to come up as to whether or not you are honest.

Hopefully, by now, you have an idea of what to expect and can grasp how important preparing for the home inspection is.

Resource for Home Inspections

Check out https://www.homeinspector.org/ for important information and to find a licensed inspector

About the author: The above information on How to Prepare for a Home Inspection was provided by Sonja Adams, a top producing agent in Virginia and West Virginia. Sonja can be reached at [email protected] or 703-963-7407. Sonja has helped many people move in/out and within Virginia and West Virginia for over 15 years.

For specific information or questions regarding the contingency, feel free to reach out to Sonja Adams at 703-963-7407. I’d be happy to review it with you in detail.

Does it Really Matter Which Mortgage Lender You Choose?

Buying, Selling

If you are asking the question above, read on to find out about an experience that defines the answer to whether or not the mortgage lender you choose matters.

Recently, I represented a listing for a seller who wanted to move out of Loudoun County to West Virginia. Now was the perfect time to move to a lower cost of living area and get out of their HOA neighborhood to gain a little more privacy. The seller was working from home and the location they chose had a great commuter access via the train to DC should the need to commute arise as well as a nice 3 acre lot.

We placed their home on the market and it sold quickly. The buyers were using a lender that appeared to be good. They were a mortgage lender whom the buyer agent had supposedly done many deals successfully over the years (so he said). As a listing agent, I did my due diligence to check with the lender to find out if they had their own in house underwriting team, in general how things looked to meet our closing date, etc. All seemed good. Unfortunately there are many factors that go into a smooth mortgage process and not all can be predicted ahead of time.

The deal proceeded, however, several weeks into the process, there were some issues with the lender during the underwriting process. As things unfolded, the lender was not very communicative and their process for underwriting and Quality Control was very slow. It also became apparent that the lender had made some critical mistakes such as not verifying enough money for closing – this is a pretty basic item! Several underwriting setbacks caused the buyer to need a closing date extension. The buyer was working diligently providing the lender with whatever was needed, but their lender kept coming back for more conditions and re-underwrote their loan several times.

Not all loans are easy, and not all loans will be smooth, but the lender’s representatives should be able to look at a deal upfront and request the right documentation and review that documentation for anticipated questions from underwriting. In addition, the loan officer and/or processors need to be able to communicate timelines and explain to the buyer what is needed and how to resolve potential questions.

The lender was asked many times to provide timelines, set expectations and keep all the people that were working on the deal and subsequent deals in the chain informed. Realtors and others don’t need to know personal or financial details, however, timely communication is needed and expectations need to be set for all the parties. In this case, the lender provided one line or sometimes one sentence responses. This particular loan did eventually close – 2 + weeks late!

This deal was a nightmare and stressful to all of the participants. It could have been better though with good communication and more attention to detail upfront. There were many items asked for at the 11th hour which could have been requested much earlier in the process.

How do you prevent this from happening to you? Check reviews. Check with our agent about the lenders success rate and communication skills. Google the loan officer and the lender. Ask your agent to get details about the lender if possible such as if they have their own in-house underwriting team. Try to work with a company who isn’t just an 800 number if possible… if something happens with a company that you only have an 800 number for, you may be just a number to them and your success rate might not be as high. Its possible that won’t be the case, but scrutinize their communication avenues at least.

This deal ended up being a Christmas miracle. To keep it together and get my sellers home sold/closed and to get them into their new home was really tough for me. I solved the communication problem by constant and consistent communication with all parties from the agents involved, the attorneys and title companies as well as the lender. By doing this, the lender was at times responsive because he had to be. Questions and communication requests were not only coming from me, but also the attorneys and title companies. This kept the lender in the forefront of all of us so we were all on the same page. I literally had to email everyone 3 + times a day and send multiple texts and made multiple phone calls daily. My sellers lost sleep through the process and so did I. I care about my clients and would wake up in the middle of the night stressing about their move. At the end of the day, we did finally close and my sellers were ecstatic to move!

If you need a lender recommendation in Virginia or West Virginia, drop me a note. I’ve got a few good ones I can recommend.

2019 Loudoun County Monthly Sales Statistics

Buying, Housing Market Updates, Selling

2019 Loudoun County Monthly Sales Statistics

While Loudoun County, VA homes for sale inventory continues to hover near historical lows, the decline in year-over-year number of active listings was notably smaller than in previous months. Active listings from May 2018 to May 2019 declined by 5.7% which was the smallest year-over-year decline since June 2015. June 2015 was also the month/year that the cycle of inventory tightening began.

The notable small decline in active listings was primarily the result of an increase in active condo listings. The number of active condo listings in Loudoun County has increased by 16.8% year-over-year while the number of townhome and single family home listings actually declined during the same period.

Tight inventory was the most probable underlying cause of the decrease of new pending sales to 2.1% from the same month in the prior year.

The good news is that through May, 2019, the homes on the market commanded nearly full asking price. The median days on market decreased from 35 days in May 2018 to just 13 days in May 2019. That said, we did see some softening and longer days on market in the upper price ranges this summer. Stats for June have not been released yet and will be interesting to see.

Check out the table below for 2019 Loudoun County Monthly Sales Statistics.

2019 Loudoun County Monthly Sales Statistics
Month	Residential Units Sold	Average Sales Price	Median Price	Average Days on Market	Active Listings	New Listings This Month	New Pendings This Month	Average S/P as a Percentage of L/P
January	286	$536,909	$495,000	67	727	477	403	98.4%
February	292	$517,858	$468,750	80	787	678	506	98.6%
March	509	$526,471	$471,000	53	861	908	734	98.9%
April	562	$531,283	$505,000	35	970	979	793	99.1%
May	742	$528,837	$499,000	30	1,145	1,081	802	99.5%
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. :: Last Updated on 6/6/19 Note that the methodology for calculating Days-On-Market (DOM) changed and was not available for October 2018. The numbers used since November 2018 have been restated according to the new methodology. The DOM data is not comparable to data issued before November 2018.